SKOWHEGAN, Maine - The federal Department of Commerce is establishing a group to help the Maine pulp and paper industry in the wake of a round of mill closures.
The group will be a multi-agency Economic Development Assessment Team that will seek to create a strategy to facilitate job growth in rural Maine.
The Maine Pulp & Paper Association has said there are six pulp and paper mills left in the state. The latest to announce a closure was Cascades Inc., which has said it will close Cascades Auburn Fiber on July 15 due to poor sales.
Maine's congressional delegation issued a joint statement saying it welcomes the creation of the assessment team. The delegation says the team will help the forest products industry remain a source of stable employment for Maine residents.
